Hot top with rotating hanger means



Aug. 1965 w. R. BEATTIE 029 HOT TOP WITH ROTATING HANGER MEANS Filed April 3, 1965 INVENTOR WALTER R. BE ATTI E W 9 ATT NEYS United States Patent 0 3,282,395 HOT TGP WITH RQTATENG HANGER MEANS Walter R. laeattie, Independence, Ghio, assignor to Uglebay Norton Company, Cleveland, (this, a corporation of Delaware Filed Apr. 3, 1963, Ser. No. 27(33'62 3 Qlaims. ('Cl. 24%--2tl2) The present invention relates to hot tops for ingot molds, and particularly is directed to hot tops with hangers for suspending the hot tops within the ingot molds and to the method of attaching the hangers to the hot tops.

One type of hot top is a molded refractory hot top designed to be supported within the open upper end of an ingot mold while molten metal is poured into the mold in such a quantity as to fill the mold and provide a sinkhead or reservoir of molten metal in the hot top. As the molten metal in the mold cools, it contracts or shrinks and the molten metal in the reservoir in the hot top feeds to the ingot to compensate for shrinkages.

This type of hot top has been supported in the mold by hanger supports which are rammed and baked in a fixed position in the refractory hot top. These fixed position hanger supports project beyond the peripheral surfaces of the hot top in order to engage the ingot mold so as to support the hot top within the open upper end of the ingot mold as desired.

The shipping and handling of hanger type hot tops have presented problems. When an imbedded hanger is struck or bumped, breakage often results. This is due in part to the fact that imbedding the hangers introduces an area of weakness around the imbedded part of the hanger. Furthermore, in order to ship and store this type of hot top with projecting hanger supports, it is necessary to provide an allowance for more space than needed for a hot top without any projecting hanger supports, so as to prevent the projecting hanger supports from being inadvertently bumped or contacted.

One of the objects of the present invention, therefore, is to provide a new and improved refractory hot top having hanger means connected to the hot top so as to minimize weakening of the hot top.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved refractory hot top having hanger means for suspending the hot top and which may be moved from an operative mold engaging position extending beyond the peripheral side surface of the hot top to an inoperative position extending inwardly of the outer side surfaces of the hot top.

A further object is to provide a new and improved hot top with movable supporting means connected thereto, the supporting means being adapted to be moved to a position extending outside the hot top into operative supporting engagement with an ingot mold and to be moved to a position extending inwardly of the hot top and out of operative engagement with the ingot mold.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved hot top in which bands for holding sections of the hot top together also hold hangers for suspending the hot top in proper position.

Other objects inherent in the nature of the device and method disclosed will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the drawings, and from the detailed description which follows.

In the accompanying drawings and forming a part of this specification,

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a hot top embodying the invention with hot top suspended witlL'n the upper end of the ingot mold, a portion of the ingot mold upper end being broken away;

ice

PEG. 2 is a perspective view of the hot top of'FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a view taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a view taken alongline 44-of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 5 is a perspective viewof the supporting'means or hanger.

The hot top illustrated in the drawings and indicated at lid, is designed for one-time use and the preferred construction has a pair of end panels 12, 14, and a pair of side panels 16, IS, the end panels being provided with a recess at each end into which projecting. centralportions on the ends of the side panels are received in interlocking relation, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The panels 12, 14, lo, 18 are held in assembled relation by metal bands 32 wound tightly about the outer peripheral side surfaces 28 of the hot top. The ends of each of the three bands on the illustrated embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2 are conventionally joined by seals 34, two of the seals being located at one end of the hot top It? (FIG. 2) and the third seal (not shown) being located at the opposite end. The metal bands are received Within flat, shallow recesses or grooves 30, which are provided in the outer surfaces 28 of the hot topand serve to retain the bands in position and in spaced relation with respect to each other. The grooves 30 each haveenlarged portions 3% in the end sections to accommodate the use of a tool to fasten the seals 34. Such an enlarge-d portion is provided for each groove in each end section to provide alternative places for making the seals.

in the illustrated embodiment, each panel is provided with an inner exothermic layer and a supporting refractory layer, the exothermic layer being shown at 20*and the supporting refractory layer being shown at 22 in FIGS. 3 and 4. As is well known in the art, the exothermic inner layer 20 is capable of giving off heat in order to delay solidification of the molten metal stand-- ing in the hot top or sinkhead.

The end panels 12, 14 may be provided with handles 24, 26 which are rammed and molded within the outer or supporting refractory layers 22 and serve as means by which the hot top may bepicked up for transfer from one place to another.

The hot top is adapted to be supported in an ingot mold by supporting means which is movable between an operative position and a storage position. The supporting means, in the illustrated embodiment, comprises hangers 38 for hanging the hot top from the top of the ingot mold. The hangers are preferably formed from a bar stock of steel of the type commonly employed for reinforcing concrete and are rod-like in cross section. Each hanger 38 has a generally vertical longitudinal portion 4d, the length of which is slightly greater than the height of the hot top 10. The hanger is provided with an upper supporting arm 42 which is bent at rightangles relative to the longitudinal member or portion 40 and which is adapted to engage the top of the mold, and is further provided with a lower arm 44 which is bent not only at right angles relative to the longitudinal member 4'!) but also at right angles relative to the upper supporting arm 42 and is adapted to engage the bottom of the hot top to support the latter.

hanger 33 is disposed adjacent each end of the side panels 29, and when in their operative positions, shown in solidlar to the plane ofthe respective panel and underneath the lower edge thereof to form a support for the panel. The lower arms preferably have a length less than the The lower arm 44 is considerably shorter in length than the upper arm 42. A

thickness of the side panels so as not to project into the interior of the hot top. I

In the illustrated and preferred embodiment the longitudinal part of each hanger 38 is received in a respective recess or groove 36 formed in the outer surface 28 of the hot top 10. The recesses or grooves '36 intersect substantially at right angles with the metal band receiving recesses or v grooves 30. The grooves 36 extend not only into the outer surfaces of the hot top, but also; inwardly ofthe band receiving recesses 30to'a predetermined ex tent for a purpose to'be described. The bottoms of the recesses or grooves 36 are radiused and have'dimensions preferably slightly greater than the diameters of the hanger'cross sections so as to movably receive the hangers 381 r T When in assembled position Within the grooves 36 'on the hot top 10, the hanger cross sections will project outwardly slightly beyond the bottoms of the grooves for receiving the metal, bands 32 which are tightly wrapped about the hot top. Consequently, the bands will bear tightly against the. hanger'cross-section highpoints 46 asshown'in FIG. 4; and, thus, the cooperative relation between the recesses 36 and the metal bands 32 will serve so that said first arm member thereof may be moved outwardly of the hot top to an operative position in supporting engagement with said ingot mold and inwardly of the hot'top to an inoperative position out of engagement with said ingot mold, each of said second arm members of the hanger means remaining in supporting engagement with the bottom of said hot top in'either position of said first arm member. V

2. In a hot top for ingot molds, said 'hot top having a plurality of sections held together in interlocking relation, at least one band tightly wrapped and secured about the outer surface of the hot top for holding said sections together, a groove for receiving said band and extending inwardly to a predetermined extent from the hot top outer surface and about the periphery of the hot top and adapted to retain'said band in its received position, a

plurality of hangers for suspending said hot top within an ingot mold, each of said hangers including a first portion for engaging the ingot mold "and a second portion for engaging a part of the hot top and a third portion 7 interconnecting the first and second portions, grooves in hanger receiving groove extending into the hot top outer surface to a predetermined depth inwardly of the bottom of the band receiving groove so that a portion of the cross section of the hanger in its received positionin said hanger groove extends outwardly beyond the bottom of the band receiving groove and said tightly wrapped band 1 bears against said portion of the hanger cross section and mizes the possibility of breakage of the hot top by inadvertent bumping of the hangersg Moreover, the fact that the hangers are not embedded minimizes the weakening ofthe hot top due to the attaching of the hangers. Since the grooves for the hangers are'deeper than the diameter a of the hangers, the lower arm 44 will continue to remain in a position of supporting engagement with the bottom of the hot top when the upper arms are in inactive posi tion. Itjwill be noted that the storage position the hangers are entirely within the outer side and end su r faces of the hot top. i

When the hot top 10 is to be used within the upper openend of the ingot mold 48, the upper arms 42 of hang ers 38 are rotated so that they may extend outwardly of the hot top to an operative position, in the position" shown in solid linesinFIGS. 1 and 2, and when the hot top is picked up by the handles 24, 26 and lowered to the open end of the mold, the hangers will engage the top surfaces of the upper end of the mold and support the" hot top 10 in the position shown in FIG. 1. 7

Although a specific structural embodi'ment of the in vention has been illustrated and described in considerable detail, it will be understood that the invention is not limited to a four-panel hot top as shown, but may also be used in 'aninte'g'ral hot top structure; nor is the invention limited necessarily to expendable or singleuse hot tops. The invention may be construed asincluding such variations'as come within the scope of the appended claims.

' Having describedmy invention, I claim:

1. In'a hottop for ingotmolds,'a pluralityof hanger; means adapted to suspend the hot top within a mold,

member at right angles thereto, .and a. second'arm mem-.

her-extending from the lower end of'thelongitudinal holdthe hanger in its received, position. V a 3. A hot top for ingot molds, at least one'band tightly wrapped and secured about the outer surface of thehot top, a groove receiving said band andhaving a predetermined depth, aplurality of hangers for suspendin said hot top within 'aningot mold, each of said hangers including'a first portion for engaging the ingot mold and a second portion for engaging a part of'the 'hot top and a third portion interconnectingthefirst and second portions, grooves'in the hot top outer surface for receiving receiving grooveswhereby said tightly wrapped band'bears against said portion ot the hanger cross section and holds the hanger in its received position.

4. A hot top for ingot molds, at leastone band tightly wrapped and secured about the outer surface of the 'hot' top, said hot top having a groove of predetermined depth receiving said band, a plurality of hangers for; suspending said hot top within an ingot mold, the outer side of said hot top having grooves for movably receiving respective ones of said hangers and disposed at right angles to and intersecting said band receiving groove, each of said hangers comprising an elongated member which is positioned in said hanger receiving grooves, a first arm member extendingfrom the upper end of the elongated member at rightangles thereto, and a second arm member extending from a lower end'of the elongated member at right angles thereto in; supporting engagement With the bottom of said hot top and angularly related to said first arm member, each hanger receiving groove extending member at right angles thereto in supportingengagement' W with the bottom of said hot top and being angularly dis- 7 posed with respect to said first arm member, each of said hanger means being rotatablyQmounted on said hot top into thehot top outer surface toja greater depth than theband receiving groove but such that a portion of the cross. section of the longitudinal'. memberwhen received in its position in said hanger groove will ,extend' outwardly beyondthe bottom of the band receiving groove'in order that said tightlywrapped band Willbear against said-portion and hold the hanger in itsi received position, saidt hangers being rotatable so that each 'saidfirst arm inemher is movable outwardly of the hot top to an operative position in supporting engagement with said ingot mold and inwardly of the hot top to an inoperative position out of engagement with said ingot mold, each of said second arms of the hangers being adapted to remain in supporting engagement with the bottom of said hot top in either position of said hangers.

5. In a hot top for ingot molds, hanger means for suspending said hot top in an ingot mold, said hanger means comprising a first part for engaging the mold and a second part for engaging the hot top and a third part interconnecting the first and second parts, and means connecting said hanger means to said hot top and supporting said hanger means for movement while said parts are interconnected and while said hanger means is connected to said hot top between an operative position wherein said first part extends outwardly of said hot top for engaging the mold to support the hot top within the mold and a storage position wherein said first part extends inwardly of the outer sides of the hot top for shipping and storing the hot top.

6. In a hot top for ingot molds, hanger means for suspending said hot top in the ingot mold, said hanger means comprising a first part for engaging the mold and a second part for engaging the hot top, groove means formed in said hot top and adapted to rnovably receive said hanger means, and means attached to said hot top for retaining said hanger means in said groove means and providing for movement of said first part of said hanger means from an operative position extending outwardly of the hot top and engaging the mold to support the hot top within the mold and an inoperative position out or" engagement with the mold and extending inwardly of the hot top.

7. In a hot top for ingot molds, hanger means for suspending said hot top in an ingot mold, said hanger means comprising a first part for engaging the mold and a sec- 0nd part for engaging the hot top and a third part interconnecting the first and second parts, and means connecting said hanger means to 'said hot top and supportin said hanger means for movement while said parts are interconnected and while said hanger means is connected to said hot top between a storage position wherein said hanger means is located inwardly of the outer sides of the hot top and an operative position wherein said first part of said hanger means extends outwardly of said hot top for engaging said mold and supporting the hot top therein.

8. In a hot top for ingot molds, a plurality of hanger means for suspending said hot top in the ingot mold, each of said hanger means including a first portion engageable with a part of the hot top and a second portion engageable with the mold and a third portion extending between the first and second portions and interconnecting the first and second portions, means on the hot top and cooperating with the third portion of said hanger means for attaching the hanger means to the hot top and providing for rotational movement of said third portion of said hanger means about an axis extending parallel thereto, said second portion of said hanger means having a storage position extending within the hot top and an operative position extending outside the hot top and being moved between its said storage and operative positions on movement of said third portion about said axis.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,182,374 5/16 Howard et al. 22147 3,103,046 9/63 La Bate 22-447 FOREIGN PATENTS 598,980 3/ 48 Great Britain.

WILLIAM J. STEPHENSON, Primary Examiner.

MARCUS U. LYONS, MICHAEL V. BRINDISI,

Examiners. 

7. IN A HOT TOP FOR INGOT MOLDS, HANGER MEANS FOR SUSPENDING SAID HOT TOP IN AN INGOT MOLD, SAID HANGER MEANS COMPRISING A FIRST PART FOR ENGAGING THE MOLD AND A SECOND PART FOR ENGAGING THE HOT TOP AND A THIRD PART INTERCONNECTING THE FIRST AND SECOND PARTS, AND MEANS CONNECTING SAID HANGER MEANS TO SAID HOT TOP AND SUPPORTING SAID HANGER MEANS FOR MOVEMENT WHILE SAID PARTS ARE INTERCONNECTED AND WHILE SAID HANGER MEANS IN CONNECTED TO SAID HOT TOP BETWEEN A STORAGE POSITION WHEREIN SAID HANGER MENS IS LOCATED INWARDLY OF THE OUTER SIDES OF THE HOT TOP AND AN OPERATIVE POSITION WHEREIN SAID FIRST PART OF SAID HANGER MEANS EXTENDS OUTWARDLY OF SAID HOT TOP FOR ENGAGING SAID MOLD AND SUPPORTING THE HOT TOP THEREIN. 